Ok, I just read about this rail strike which is EXACTLY when we will be in London. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/may/04/tube-strike-london-may-june This was our itinerary: Wednesday 18th - arrive in London 11am, take train to Paddington and then check into hotel Find a place to eat Rick's Westminster Walk : Westminster Bridge: view of Big Ben and Parliament, Westminster Abbey ( tour if not crowded, otherwise save) Churchill Museum and cabinet war rooms are close to visit instead, #10 Downing Street, Horse Guards ( dismounting ceremony at 4pm,)Trafalgar Square, ( I know we cannot do everything on the walk above. These are just options. We will do what we feel like.) Thursday 19th Take metro to Tower of London Thames Cruise ( 32 pounds River Red Rover..then we would take that and not the tube to Tower) Imperial War Museum 6- talk about the play if we wish 7:30 As You Like it at the Globe Friday 20th Westminster Abbey or Churchill Afternoon: Boys to RAF museum in Colindale Girls to tea in Kensington Palace Saturday 21st Check out of hotel, store bags at St. Pancreas Picture in King's Cross station ( Harry Potter)
British Museum ( 10-12) 12- leave museum to get back to St. Pancreas and get something to eat Train to Paris: 2:02- 5:23 So now what?? Will we be able to do this??? The tube confused me enough... How will we get around?????? Christine
Posted by
Troy, Oh, USA
2800 posts
Even if there is a strike there will be some service.....the following is what the transport commissioner said......... Transport commissioner Peter Hendy said he is "optimistic" about beating the strikers and delivering a "decent service" because "so few" train drivers actually supported the walkout. You can also use the buses and walk. London is great to walk in. You can take the train from Heathrow to Paddington Station.
Posted by
OP
Kilgore, TX
107 posts
I do like to walk. But getting from Heathrow to Paddington with all our bags just won't work for walking. Plus can we walk from Paddington station hotel to all of the places I have listed?????
Posted by
Spring, Texas
635 posts
The normal bus routes will be running although they will be more crowded than usual. Bus #15 can get you to St Pauls and the Tower of London. I'm not sure what you need to get to Westminster. Check the london bus routes before you go as a back up. Paddington has good service with the tube so even if there is limited service you will probably do alright.
Posted by
Leesburg, VA, USA
342 posts
Christine, why not look into car service from the airport to your hotel since there are 5 of you? Check out justairports.com
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5803 posts
Christine, both the Heathrow Connect and Express will be running. It is just the tube that is impacted. Alternatively, arrange a pre-booked car service to get to your hotel.
Posted by
Spring, Texas
635 posts
Mary - good catch. With that many people a car service or taxi from Heathrow would probably be a significant cost savings. Unfortunately, it may take a little longer than the express but probably not too much.
Posted by
NC, United States
970 posts
Christine, first, keep up to date. The London page at the BBC News site is as good as any: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/england/london/ Second, I would make a list of sites that you are willing to walk to from your hotel. Hold those in reserve for the actual strike day. Buses and cabs will, indeed, be available that day, as, possibly, some Tube trains. But, going by my experience with strikes last year, taxis will be hard to come by and lines at bus stops will be very long. With the Tube, you may run into situations where a train is running but the station is unstaffed, or the train runs only a partial route, etc. If you have an iPhone or another smartphone, several apps that track the status of the Tube in almost real time are available. I've used a couple and they are very good. If there is a strike on the 21st, I would cancel the British Museum visit. Two hours is very little time there. Also, in the event of a strike, street traffic will increase, making it longer and harder to get around. You don't want to miss that Paris train because you're stuck in front of the Museum trying to flag down a cab, or stuck in traffic somewhere.
Posted by
Charlotte, NC, USA
3428 posts
BBC now says the strike is cancled! YEAH!!!! http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=73593
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Christine, a couple of thoughts on your itinerary. 1) we are such Harry Potter fans. We just had to find the overhead walkway where Hagrid stood with Harry. It's no longer there. It's gone as part of the re-model. 2) there is no platform 9-3/4. There is a place where they took a luggage trolley, cut it in half and stuck it in the wall. They then placed a "Platform 9-3/4" sign over it. They didn't spend a lot of money doing it either. Also, I think they moved it from its orginal location. As you enter the main track area, it's down at the end of track 8. It's far enough down that you think you are running out of platform. 3) when you are in the British museum, you might check out the fabulous cafeteria as opposed to going back to St. Pancras. It's on the second level. If you PM me with an email address, I'll send you some pictures of everything mentioned above. We did get to see the cauldron from the movies at Lacock Abbey.